Metallic wheel



(No Model.) a F. H. 'BNSIGN.

MBTALLIG WHEEL; No. 404,611. Patented June 4,1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK H. ENSIGN, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

METALLIC WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,611, dated June 4, 1889.

Application filed December 7, 188B. $erial No. 292,897. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK H. ENSIGN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Metal Wheels; and I-do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to metal wheels for vehicles, and especially uch wheels as are used for childrens carriages, velocipedes, bi-

cycles, wheel-barrows, &c., and has for its obj ect to construct a hub with the greatest strength and at the same time having a light and neat appearance.

A further obj ect is to so construct the disks or hub-sections that they shall impinge upon the return-bends of the spokes with an equal pressure from the center to the periphery, thereby avoiding the usual separation of the sections at the periphery.

A further object is to provide a wheel in which the outer disk may be removed to remove a broken spoke and substitute a new one without injury to the hub.

Afurther object is to provide for certainty in assembling the two hub sections or disks, that the oppositely-arranged circumferential grooves may always register for the reception of the spokes.

The invention consists in the parts and combination of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a complete wheel. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the center of the hub. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the outer section of the hub, and Fig. 4 is a like view of the inner section.

A designates the wheel, having a rim B, spokes O, and hub D, the spokes being of the class known as return-spokes. The hub comprises a thimble E, formed with corrugations F near each end, which serve as shoulders, against which the inner sections G of the hub abut. Upon each end of spindle E are placed hub disks or sections Gand H, between which are secured spokes O, and the two sections are held in proper position by reason of the rear side of section G resting against shoulder F of the spindle, and the end sections being drawn closely to the inner sections by flaring the ends of the spindle and turning the same against the outer sides of the end sections within the sand-band I to draw the sections into close relation.

1 will now describe the peculiar construction of the end sections or disks. The inner sections G are formed with a circular.perforation, through which the spindle passes, and an annulus K of somewhat larger diameter than the perforation, whereby there is formed a rest or annular body of metal L intermediate the spindles and annulus K, the periphery of the disk being formed with semicircular grooves M, into which are seated the spokes O. Upon the inner periphery of annulus K is formed a feather L, as shown in Fig. 3, which fits into a groove in the outer section, as will be more fully explained. The outer hub-section H is formed with an annulus H, having an internal diameter corresponding to the diameter of the spindle and an outer circumference adapted to fit within annulus K of section G, .with the inner end of annulus H abutting against the annular rest L in section G, the annulus upon section G being of a length to abut against the inner face of section H when the parts are so closely assembled as to impinge upon the spokes.

H are grooves formed upon the inner sides of annulus H, and are adapted to receive the feathers L of section G, and M are semicircular grooves formed in the inner face of the sect-ion and coincide with grooves M of the inner section, the two when in coincidence forming a seat for the spoke.

To assemble the parts to form a complete wheel, sections G are placed upon the spindle with the back of the section resting against the corrugations or shoulders F. Spokes O are now placed in position and sections H are placed upon the spindle, the annulus H of each section closely fitting the spindle, the feathers L entering grooves II, respectively, and the semicircular grooves M and M receiving the spokes, (the annulus L of section G and the annulus ll of section II being of a length to permit the two sections to be caused to impinge closely upon the spokes before the ends of either shall abut against seat K or the inner side of section II, respectively,) and the outer ends of the spindle are closed over the outer sides of the outer sections and draw the two sections of each end closely together.

The object of the annulus II and annular rest L, as well as annulus K, bearing against the inner side of section II, is to prevent the central portion of the two sections from being so nearly collapsed by the drawing process of heading the ends of the spindles against the same as to open the peripheries from contact with the spokes, thereby losing the great strength incident to impinging the outer edges of the sections thereupon, as is usual in the present form of wheel of this character.

13y reason of securing the sections in proper position by the shoulder F and the flared end of the spindle, the sections can be readily taken apart to remove a broken spoke and insert a new one, by merely straightening the outer end, without injury to the hub-sections.

The feather and groove not only serve to hold the end section frietionally in place, but act to guide the section when being placed telescopically within section G to cause the grooves to register.

hat I claim is 1. In a metal wheel, hub-sections formed with oppositelyarranged circular projections and oppositely-arranged metal flanges adapted to meet when the sections are assembled to cause the annular faces to impinge spokes placed between the same, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a metal. wheel, hub-sections formed with circular projections adapted to telescope within. the hub, one projection being formed with a feather and the coaeting projection with a groove, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I hereby affix my signature in pres once of two witnesses.

FRANK ll. ENSIGN.

\Vitnesses:

WILLLW. ivnns'rnn,

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